The aim of these documents is to set out the strategy that we will follow in maintaining our highway and transport infrastructure over the next asset management plan (AMP) period, which is usually five years.

Our new strategy focuses on a preventative approach to maintenance, so as to slow down the ongoing deterioration of our highway assets consequent of reductions in funding for Highway and Transport Infrastructure. This may mean that the road you are using doesn't look too good and may have patches and pothole repairs, but it will be usable and fit for purpose for its level of use, and to help determine its level of use we are looking to develop a highway maintenance hierarchy for Derbyshire that will help us prioritise more effectively.

The Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Policy and Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy will be part of a set of documents which will clearly set out the processes behind the maintenance of key assets.

The "Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan (HIAMP) Carriageways and Footways" will be the first HIAMP to be produced and work is currently underway to develop this in a way that will provide an understanding of the processes involved in the selection of future carriageway and footway improvement and maintenance work. The plan will highlight where we need to improve our knowledge our highways assets, provide transparency of process and explain the evidence led approach to maintaining a network that, if stretched out, would reach to Baghdad. This will help us to improve our understanding of the lifecycle, maintenance and costs and then consider how best to maintain, renew or dispose our assets.

We have also developed a five year works plan for roads, and in particular road carriageways. The plan sets out the key maintenance works that will (subject to condition, funding and priorities) be carried out over the next five years, 2016 to 2021. It also identifies potential maintenance schemes for the following five years from 2021 to 2026.